Daring to Dream
by WeepingPiano
Summary: A young lady is running from adulthood. Frightened about her future, she finds herself in Neverland where she must choose between the childlike shenanigans of the Lost Boys or the more mature dealings of the pirates and a certain blue-eyed captain.
1. New Beginnings

**Hmm… I was not really sure whether I wanted to put the author's notes at the top or bottom, but I think, at least for the first one, I will post at the top.**

**I just have a few things I would like to say before we get started. First, this is my first fan fiction, so while I would very much like to hear your comments and critiques, please keep in mind that I am not a seasoned professional here ^-^ Second, I am going to be pulling from the original book, as well as the 2003 movie version for character appearance and locations. Third, that means that Hook's appearance is heavily based off of Jason Isaacs portrayal of him. Fourth and finally, if you think I am mistaken on a point in the story (description of a person or place etc.) please let me know as well as tell me where you got the information (book, comic, sequel, movie etc.) and please don't just say "you are wrong about x" and end it there. I cannot learn from my mistakes that way.**

**I do not own Peter Pan, any of the movies, or Jason Isaacs (sad day on that last one though) I do, however, own Clarissa and this particular story. This is completely not for profit.**

**Now, if you have stuck with me through my ramblings, here we go :D**

~Daring to Dream~

Clarissa was running. She didn't have a destination. She didn't care where she was headed. She just had to get away. When she finally slowed and her head cleared enough for her to realize where she was, she allowed herself a tiny chuckle. She was at the old docks, the last place anyone in this town would look for a "proper young lady". She had to be careful here, lest someone see her and think her a whore, or try to solicit her. She heard footsteps, so she moved closer to the shoreline to hide in the long shadows cast by the evening sun. She sat in the sand until well after the sun went down.

She had always loved fairy tales, especially those where a simple girl had been rescued by a handsome prince on a white horse, one who saved her for no reason other than that it was the right thing to do and fell in love with her for all the right reasons. She had always dreamed that would happen to her, but those dreams faded away. Her parents had arrainged for her to be married and she had panicked. Eliot was a perfectly lovely man. He was kind and smart and most certainly could support her, but he could never love her. He already had eyes for another young lady, but Clarissa's parents had gotten to his parents first. He mother had assured her that marrying for security as opposed to love was a normal part of growing up, but it terrified Clarissa. Though she knew it was a childlike fantasy, Clarissa wanted nothing more than to find true love and get married, in that order, but that would never happen if she was forced to marry Elliot.

That was when she decided to run away. Both for herself and for Elliot. If she ran, she wouldn't have to marry just because her parents wanted her to and Elliot would be free to marry the girl he loved. She thought she might have better luck finding her place in the world if she could just get away from this one.

As she looked out across the sea reflecting the newly star-spangled sky, she spied a dark shape at the water's edge. It was a small boat, just big enough for two people. She made sure that there was no one around to see her before making her way to the tiny craft. It was partially buried in the sand and looked like it had not been disturbed in quite some time. Clarissa felt quite sure that it was abandoned. She dug some of the sand out from around it before pushing it into the water. After watching for leaks and finding none, she climbed into it, noticing gratefully that the oars were there as well. She paddled listlessly for a while, wondering exactly what the hell she was doing. One moment she was resting in her room, warm and comfortable in a light dress, and now here she was, rowing into open water, running from the only life she had ever known simply because she was too afraid to grow up. She looked up into the sky, hoping to find some sort of sign. What she found were two stars slightly brighter than the rest. The one to the right seemed to be twinkling more fiercely, as though it were calling out to her. She aimed the boat in that direction and paddled a while longer before nodding off to sleep, the boat continuing its course 'til morning…

**Ah… please R&R I will continue this and I promise it will get better. I have a good middle planned out, I just have a hard time starting out.**


	2. Friend or Foe

Peter Pan was flying around Neverland early the next morning. He loved flying high and fast in the clear air, where the pinks and oranges of the sunrise were fading away. He was quite pleased with himself after completing a particularly daring dive and loop when he spotted something peculiar in the water. Since the thought of there being anything in Neverland that he did not know about horrified him, Peter swiftly darted towards the small object. Once he drew nearer and realized it was a small boat, a new curiosity took over that made him want to know what this unfamiliar vessel was doing out here. He saw that there was something that was a different color inside the boat, so he approached it with as much caution as a young boy could. He glided near the surface of the water, so close that his toes occasionally dipped in and left little rippling trails. He crept closer and peaked over the edge of the boat.

The sight of a sleeping young woman was slightly disconcerting to him. He was not used to visitors that he himself had not brought. He was about to crow to get the lost boys' attention when he clapped his hand over his mouth. He would never admit it, but deep down, women frightened him. They were so unpredictable and emotional, and they always wanted him to grow up so they could marry him. That, and the fact that he didn't want to have to face the girl alone if he woke her. He had no idea if she was bait set out for him by the pirates, with a pistol or dagger ready to spill his guts. He winced inwardly at the thought and flew high into the air before releasing his call.

Back aboard the Jolly Roger Captain Hook was brooding. He hated the fact that the insolent brat Pan called him old. Everyone older than Pan was considered "old" to that pest. He knew he wasn't old, but hearing it day in and day out was starting to wear on his nerves. He couldn't stand the idea that he was seemingly doomed to live out his days chasing the twit around Neverland. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it irked him to no end that even that puling child, who never wanted it and wasn't even able to love, had found his Wendy while he had no one. He was pulled out of his ruminating when Smee burst through the door to his cabin.

"Cap'n!" Smee hollered, "We've heard Pan crow and have set a course towards the sound!" Hook sighed a bit and stood from the chair at his desk. "I don't see what you are so pleased about Mr. Smee" He glared at his oldest companion; the only man it seemed who could escape the captain's wrath. "Who knows Captain, today could be the start of something new." The white haired man beamed before heading back out on deck. 'That man is far too cheery' Hook thought as he shook his head.

Peter was quite occupied pushing the dinghy towards the shore and did not notice the Jolly Roger appear on the horizon. He was beginning to tire when he saw the lost boys gathering on the beach. That is when he had an idea. As he got close enough to the shore he unfurled the grimy and decrepit mooring line from the front of the boat. He passed it to the first lost boy, who passed the end to the next, and so on, until the lost boys were hauling the boat the rest of the way and Peter had nothing to do but pride himself on his genius.

Once the boat and the person inside where far enough up the beach, or "in to where the tide won't get 'er, no matter how high it gets!" as Peter had said, now that he was not the one that had to get it there, the boys crowded around it and looked to him for direction. "Well", he said, hovering above the group, "I guess we should wake her first." He grinned mischievously at his little gang and, as if through some unspoken understanding, they all started hooting and hollering at the same time.

Clarissa bolted upright. She was having some difficulty figuring out where she was, having been woken up in such an unpleasant manner. "W-wha?" she stuttered, trying to rub the blurriness out of her eyes. She peered at the figures around her. They looked like little boys dressed in furs and the tallest seemed to be flying, but she knew that couldn't be right.

"Who are you and who sent you!" Peter shouted, trying to sound brave and impressive, but only succeeding in scaring Clarissa. "What are you talking about!" she cried, "Where am I?" Peter was growing increasingly irritated and hissed at her once she stood. "A grown-up!" the game was no longer fun. He hated adults. They always ruined everything. "I'm the one asking the questions!" Peter snarled and pulled out his sword, with the lost boys quickly following suit. "Now tell me who you are!"

"I..." Clarissa faltered. She was sure this must be some terrible dream, but everything felt so real, she didn't dare chance it. "My name is Clarissa, I don't know how I got here, I was running awa-" Suddenly Peter cut her off. "You lie!" He pressed the tip of his blade to her throat. "I know the pirates sent you!" Clarissa could not believe what she was hearing. True, she had dreamt of a roguishly handsome privateer whisking her away to adventures and far off lands, but she had not thought of pirates in years. Certainly a proper young lady such as herself would never fall in with a band of murderous brigands! "I know not of what you speak! I am telling you the truth…" she did not know what it would take to convince the strange flying boy. She was lost in thought when she realized he was speaking again. "Do you stake your life on it?" he demanded. She was facing away from the water and could not see the approaching pirates, nor could she hear the worried murmuring of the lost boys due to the sound of her own heart pounding in her ears.

"Yes"

She had barely gotten the word out before a shot rang through the air. Startled, she turned towards the source of the noise as Peter swung his sword and left a devastating wound across the upper part of her left arm. She fell to the sand outside the boat and clutched at her wounded arm. Before Peter could come back for another blow, the pirates had hit the beach and were running full tilt towards him and the lost boys.

The skirmish was short as Peter was in a foul mood and did not care to fight. His morning had been ruined by that stupid adult and now the pirates were keeping him from finishing her off. He just wanted to get back to the lost boys' hideout and sulk, though he would tell the gang he was resting up for their next big adventure. Peter and the boys retreated into the forest, knowing that even if Hook and his crew pursued, it would not be long before they lost the trail.

"Blast that Pan!" Hook knew it was futile to follow them in the forest. The little hooligans knew every nook and cranny of the island and were small enough to hide in most of them. He turned, still cursing under his breath when he finally saw what Pan had made such a fuss about. Of course, he had seen Pan threatening someone, but he had been too blinded by his hatred of the boy to fully realize what had been going on. The girl was huddled by the boat she had arrived in. By her dress Hook could tell that she was not merely a native Neverlandian that had gotten lost. She was from the outside. The rest of the crew was almost back to the longboats when Hook stopped next to the hurt woman. She was curled up very tightly, as if she were trying to make herself as small as possible and perhaps even disappear into the shadow of the boat. Her face was incredibly pale, in part from fear, though mostly due to the wound she was still holding. The sleeve of her pale blue dress was dyed bright crimson with her blood. Hook could see from the way she was convulsively clenching and unclenching her fingers that everything was still connected, but the wound was deep.

Being the gentleman that he was, he could not leave her there to bleed out, so he stooped towards her and tried to get her attention. "My lady?" he questioned as he reached out to brush her hair out of her face. No response, her eyes vacant. He leaned in and placed his left hand on her back while carefully slipping his right arm under her knees, mindful of his hook as he did so. As he picked her up he noticed she was trembling. He realized she was going into shock and strode purposefully towards the longboats. His glares kept his crew from questioning him for the moment and he urged them swiftly on, lest he decide to punish them.

Once they returned to the Jolly Roger, Hook made a beeline for his cabin. He beckoned for Smee to boil some water immediately and then shut the door behind him. He set the injured girl down in front of the fire and set out looking for a needle and some thread. He was by no means a master surgeon, but unless she wanted to bleed out, he was her best bet.

After a few moments, Smee came bustling in with a pot of boiling water. Hook located a curved needle in a drawer of bandages, disinfectants, and other medical sundries. He then threaded it before lowering them into the boiling water to sterilize them. He walked back over to the girl and used his hook to cut the lacing on the back of her dress. Her arms automatically went up to hold the fabric to her chest as Hook and Smee tried to remove it.

"Shh my dear" Hook cooed as soothingly as possible. "We're trying to help you; we just need to get your arms out of these sleeves." Her eyes were still blank and Hook realized her movements were purely instinctual. He gently removed her arms from her chest and peeled the bloodied cloth off her arms. The top of her dress was now draped around her waist and she was sitting, supported by Mr. Smee, in her corset and skirt. Hook sat by her side and pulled the curved needle out of the water.

"This is probably going to hurt a little," he warned. "But we have to get this closed up before you lose any more blood, do you understand?" The girl nodded drowsily and Hook got to work stitching her up. He tried to work as neatly as possible to minimize scaring, but it was a nasty wound and he knew some scarring would be inevitable. He used a simple running stitch and finished quickly, deftly knotting the thread with one hand and then cutting the end with his hook. He went back to the drawer where he had gotten the needle and grabbed some bandages and a cloth. He dipped the cloth in the still warm water and tried to get as much blood off the girl's arm as he could without rubbing too hard and aggravating the injury. Once he was finished with that he wrapped the bandages tightly around her arm.

Hook realized that his patient had fallen into unconsciousness and he was momentarily concerned until he saw the steady rise and fall of her chest and felt a strong heart beat when he touched his fingers to her neck. Hook knew that what she needed most was rest, so he dismissed Smee and scooped her up, heading for his bed. He set her down on top of the sheets and began to slip her filthy dress off of her, leaving her laying there in her undergarments. He considered removing her corset as well, as he couldn't imagine it was comfortable to begin with, let alone to sleep in, but he did not want to inadvertently offend her potentially delicate sensibilities, so he settled for loosening it before tucking her under the blankets and heading back out on deck to begin the morning inspections.

**One of my friends informed me that while I got Pan spot on, I made Hook "too nice". What do you think? (Please keep in mind that I am mainly drawing inspiration from the original book and 2003 movie, not the foppish Disney version, for Hook's behavior and mannerisms. I know he is a pirate, but he is also a gentleman and a scholar)**

**Please review and help me make my story better ^-^ **


	3. Musing

**Sorry about the wait. Lack of inspiration as well as real life got in the way. Thank you so much bluemerald for your review ^^**

Hook was strolling around the deck, checking to make sure everything was in order. Of course, "in order" was a very subjective term when it came to his crew and the sea they sailed. True, his old crew had been slaughtered by Pan, but he had gathered himself a new one. The ideals of adventure and gold had lured them to piracy, but their deep-seated fear of Captain Hook kept them aboard. It hadn't been too difficult to get Smee back. The promise of gold and the threat of violence had him back to the ship, quick as a flash. The ship itself had been a bit more problematic, since the boy had taken off with it. However, Pan had quickly grown bored with having a pirate ship of his own and abandoned it in a lagoon. After escaping the damned croc, for which Hook begrudgingly had to thank the prosthesis on his arm which had allowed him to gut the creature from the inside, he reclaimed what was rightfully his and set out to claim his revenge on the simpering child Pan. During the course of his rounds his eyes fell on the door to his cabin and his thoughts drifted to the girl inside.

In the scheme of things, she was young, but not as young as the ones that usually made their way to this magical island. He decided that there must be something about her that tied her to childhood. For him, it had been his love of adventure and desire to escape from the troubles of the world.

'Perhaps that is it.' He thought to himself. He had thought it odd that she was dressed in nothing but a light dress and thin silk slippers. He assumed that no matter where she was from, a dress made for travel would be thicker or have more layers. He thought back to the boat she had been laying next to when he first encountered her and did not remember seeing luggage or provisions of any kind. "Escape from what though?" he mumbled, not realizing that Smee had walked over to see what was on the captain's mind.

"Who is escaping Captain?" Smee asked, a touch of concern lacing his voice. He knew the Captain had not seen him coming, and realized he was talking to no one in particular, which was troubling.

Hook started a bit, then calmed when he realized it was only Smee. He glared at his shipmate for a moment before confiding in him. "I was thinking about the girl and how she might have gotten here. She seems a little old to be a lost child, and they tend to only be boys. That, and it doesn't look like she is one of Pan's guests." He trailed off, recalling the gash on her upper arm. "Pan has the worst possible form, attacking a woman like that." He scowled a bit before continuing, "It is getting late. I would like you to bring some food for myself and the girl to my cabin. I have various papers I need to attend to." Hook turned on his heal and headed across the deck towards his cabin.

As he was passing his bed on his way to his desk, he paused to check on the condition of his unexpected guest. Content that she was still breathing and her wound had not reopened; he went a few more paces and reclined in his rather ornate chair. He reached for a leather-bound folder and spread the loose pages over the large wooden surface. Picking up his quill and dipping it in the nearby inkpot, Hook immersed himself in his work and quickly lost track of time. Though it was much longer, it seemed like moments to him before his bo'sun bustled into the cabin balancing plates and goblets in his arms.

"I thought something light might be best" The older man whispered before quietly setting the meal down on the table. "I know you don't like greasy foods when you are fiddling with your records, and I figured she might not be able to keep much down anyway." Smee fidgeted a bit when he received no response.

Hook's eyes never left his work as he addressed his bo'sun. "Is there anything else?"

"Well…" Smee hesitated, unsure how to broach the topic. "The men are wondering… what you… why… the reas-"

"Out with it!" Hook snapped, as he thrust the quill pen back in its stand and stood from his chair.

"T-they want to know what you plan on doing with the girl!" Smee blurted out, startled by his captain's unexpected outburst.

Hook stared at the other man, a little confused by the question. "Could they not see that she was injured and bleeding? I brought her on board to tend to her wound."

Considering the matter closed, Hook strode towards the table to see what had been laid out for dinner.

"But…" Smee began again.

Hook froze at the sound of a new question and glowered at Smee. It didn't matter how long he had been a part of the crew, or how much Hook trusted or even liked the other man, this line of questioning was quickly wearing on him nerves. "But?" He demanded.

"Well, we recently made port and you had planned that we would circle the island before making port again. That is a pretty long time… Are we going to make an unplanned stop and drop her off or…" Smee was becoming increasingly uncomfortable as he tried to voice the crew's curiosity.

"Or what?" Hook growled menacingly. "Am I to heal her just so that I can turn her over to those thugs?"

While he hated to acknowledge it, Hook had a bit of a soft side when it came to certain things. One of those things was delicate young women. He shuddered to think of what his crew could do to her. Their rough hands bruising her soft skin, oblivious to her tears. He was jolted out of his dark thoughts when Smee spoke up.

"No Captain, that is not at all what I meant." He was cut off again, a rather common occurrence, when Hook waved him away, stating simply, "Tell them I am keeping her as my pet for all I care, just stop this nonsense from brewing any further."

Smee looked at the girl with something akin to pity in his eyes before excusing himself and returning to his other duties.

Hook looked over the plates of food, appreciating that Smee had indeed put great thought into the meals preparation. His plate contained roast chicken with potatoes and a light salad made from the fresh vegetables they had picked up at their recent stop to port. The girl's plate had a small loaf of bread and a bright red apple, with a small silver knife set to the side. It was an excellent choice for her inevitable weak stomach, either from the blood loss or the movement of the ship, if not both.

He moved towards the sleeping girl when he was struck with a sudden thought. He groaned inwardly at the unfortunate connotation he realized his ill-bred crew would infer from his flippant choice of words. While he was going for a suggestion that was ludicrous and unbelievable, calling her "his pet" would undoubtedly lead their filthy minds would take it to mean that he intended to bed her.

While that was certainly not the most abhorrent thought that ever crossed his mind, he pondered as his eyes wandered over her small frame, pale skin, and long brown hair that had been kissed by the sun at its lightly curled tips, he would never take a woman against her will. Especially not one so fragile and helpless as her. Had he really been so desperate, he could easily hire a woman of ill repute who had sold her innocence away long ago, though it had not come to that yet.

He silently chastised himself for assuming so many things about the girl that lay before him. Who was to say that she was running from anything? Or that she was still pure and innocent? Still, the way that she kept the sheets clutched to her chest as though hiding, even in her sleep, caused Hook to wonder if his assumptions were closer to reality than he had thought even a moment before.

**More apologies are in order. Sorry about the sort chapter and awkward end, I just wanted to get something posted after so long without. Updates might be sporatic (I got a promotion and my hours doubled so... yeah. More money, but less artistic time -_- )**

**Then there is the way Hook talks and word choice. Honestly, that is a combination of how I talk (I am not trying to be pretentious, I am going for concise) and words I think would be accurate for the time period.**

**Also, I know it sounds silly, but reviews really inspire me and cause more frequent updates, so R&R if you want more ^^**


	4. Dinner Conversation

Clarissa had passed from a dreamless slumber to a fitful sleep. She felt a dull ache, but she couldn't remember why she hurt. She thought she heard two male voices, but she didn't recognize them, nor could she quite understand what was being said. She heard a door close, then footsteps, then silence. She was attempting to escape dozing, and re-enter a peaceful sleep, but despite her best efforts she was nudged into waking by light touch brushing her hair out of her face, followed by a rough hand on her shoulder.

"Wake up my sweet" A deep, soothing voice whispered, startlingly close to her face.

Clarissa started awake, surprising the man standing over her and causing him to jump back as well.

It took her a moment to register where she was. She quickly looked around and saw she was in a dark wood-walled room. There was a large desk, a table, a colorful harpsichord and a fireplace, as well as a silk covered bed, which she now found herself in.

"W-wha…?" Clarissa stammered, scooting back into the pillows, until she realized she was in nothing but her underthings. A bright red blush crept into her cheeks as she pulled her knees to her chest and covered herself with the comforter. She buried her head in the blankets and desperately wished that this was all just a dream, even if that meant her waking up and having to marry Eliot.

Hook's brow furrowed. "You need to eat love." He reached for the blankets before stopping himself when he remembered she was only in her underthings. "You can take the blanket with you, but you have to come to the table, I don't want you eating in my bed."

Clarissa wasn't listening. She had blocked everything out and was lost in her own personal nightmare.

Hook was not known for being a patient man. When she did not respond, he reached forward and scooped her up with all the blankets.

Clarissa gasped and clutched at his neck for support, momentarily forgetting her modesty.

He strode over to the table and gently deposited his bundle into her chair before moving to sit in his own. After he settled in, he glanced across the table and appraised the site in front of him. She was small and thin. Delicate was the word that came to the forefront of his mind. Her hair was quite disheveled, but it did not detract from her overall appeal. She was plucking at the sheets, trying to get maximum coverage while retaining mobility. The comforter was piled up around her in the chair, while the sheet covered her torso leaving her long, pale legs, crossed at the ankles, exposed. As his gaze wandered back up, he saw the hungry look in her eyes as her free hand scooted towards the loaf of bread.

Hook reached over a picked up the apple. When he did, he saw the girl's hand quickly abandon the bread and return to her lap. He chuckled softly and began slicing the apple. "Go ahead and eat dear. I know you must be starving."

She grabbed the bread and started tearing it into small chunks before eating it.

After he finished cutting it, Hook returned the apple to her plate and began eating his own meal.

Most of their dinner passed in silence, with most of the food gone before Hook asked, "What is your name?"

The girl paused in the middle of sipping her tea and peered at him over the rim of her cup. She paused for a moment before answering, "Clarissa… who are you?"

The captain grinned broadly before replying, "Captain James Hook." He reached for her hand and kissed it lightly. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

**Short chapter is short! :D**

**Sorry about that, but I wanted to get her woken up and let y'all know I was not abandoning the story.**

**My boss really heaped on the hours and I only had one day off this week, so… yeah…**

**I promise I will not abandon it though! The story will continue!**


	5. Scrubadub

A scarlet hue crept back into Clarissa's cheeks.

"Th-thank you for dinner, Captain." She stuttered nervously, and then yawned.

"You must be exhausted" Hook chuckled while gathering the plates.

"I don't see how I could be; I must have slept all day!" Clarissa exclaimed.

Hook glanced across the table at Clarissa's pale and worried face. He was glad to see color returning to her complexion, but knew she was still suffering from the wound.

"You see my dear", he began as he stood from the table and walked towards her, "You lost an awful lot of blood and your body is working so hard to heal the damage to your arm." He paused briefly and he scooped her and the blankets into his arms. "That is why even this little bit of activity has made you sleepy." He headed towards the bed. "Shall we retire for the night?" He questioned as he moved to set her down on the mattress.

"Wait!" Clarissa nearly wailed as she clutched at his neck, causing him to scramble to regain a firm hold on her without hurting her with his hook.

"Blast it girl! Be careful!" Hook shouted. He regretted it after feeling Clarissa cringe and gently asked, "What is it?"

"I-" She stammered. For a moment, it had sounded like he intended for them to share a bed. She panicked, but realized that had to be the most absurd thing she had thought in a while. Now she had to cover for her sudden outburst.

"I'm filthy. I don't want to get blood and sand on the bed." She added lamely.

Hook raised an eyebrow before responding. "You already slept in it for hours. I am pretty sure the sand is there by now."

"But…" Clarissa wracked her brain, "I might rest better if I were clean?"

Hook rolled his eyes and gently set her on her feet.

"Fine" he acquiesced, "I will have Smee draw a bath.

Half an hour later Hook's private tub was filled with steaming water and Clarissa blushing more than ever.

"What do you mean, 'just get in'?" She worried at him.

Hook sighed deeply. "Just get in the tub. There is a screen in front of it, I won't be able to see anything even if I wanted to, and before you ask, I am not leaving the room because I have paperwork I need to finish."

With that he strode to his desk, sat down and began shuffling papers.

By this point in time, Clarissa had only kept the sheet around her and left the comforter on the bed. Smee had promised to be back with a new set before she was finished with her bath.

She hung her head and slunk behind the screen to undress. Her right arm was still sore, so she thanked the heavens that her corset was loose enough for her to remove with one hand. After unclothing, she asked the Captain the first in a series of increasingly uncomfortable questions that would arise that evening.

"What should I do with these?" She gestured to her undergarments, momentarily forgetting the screen between them.

Hook looked up from his papers at the faint shadow showing through the folding paper barrier.

"Leave them on the floor near the tub. Smee will come collect them later."

Clarissa was initially horrified at the thought of a man messing with her underwear, but chastised herself for her foolishness. It was just kind old Mr. Smee.

She settled in to the hot water and hissed when it hit her arm. She quickly removed it from the water and set it on the edge of the tub. She got to work cleaning herself and was nearly finished when a thought struck her.

"Captain?" She inquired.

The noise of a quill scratching against parchment stopped before she heard is response. "Clarissa?"

"What am I going to wear?"

Hook pondered this for a moment.

Some wicked part of him briefly reared its ugly head and imagined her nude form tucked against his bare chest after other… activities.

He mentally slapped himself before answering her. "I suppose you will wear something of mine until we can find some new clothes for you."

"New… clothes?"

"Yes. Your dress was ruined and you can't just run around in nothing but your panties and a sheet." That ugly part of him reared up again but he quickly smacked it back down. "We didn't sell all of our loot the last time we stopped into port and I am fairly certain we raided a merchant vessel recently. There may be some dresses in the hold, but it is late. I will send some men to look for them tomorrow. Until then…"

He got to his feet and headed for the closet. "You can wear…" he dug around a bit, "This."

He tossed a long black shirt so that it was draped over the divider in the room and returned to his desk. He set about finishing up his work. He was tired and he knew that Clarissa was almost finished with her bath.

She toweled herself off with what was possibly the most luxurious, fluffy towel she had ever seen and reached for the shirt that Hook had provided. She pulled it over her head and was pleasantly surprised at the length. It covered her bottom nicely with a few inches to spare. The sleeves had a bit of a frill around the ends and she was just about to admit it was a lovely nightdress on her when she caught sight of the neckline. It plunged low and stopped about two inches above her belly button.

'It must look great on him.' Some dormant part of her mind offered. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and peeked around the screen.

"Captain? I am not sure this is going to work…" She saw that he had moved from the desk chair to the bench in front of the harpsichord and seemed to be thinking about what he wanted to play.

"What makes you say that my lady? Come, let me see." He said as he patted the bench beside him.

Clarissa held the V of the neckline together as she shyly made her way over to the harpsichord.

Hook admired her shapely legs as she drew nearer. The black shirt contrasted nicely with her creamy skin. "I don't see the prob-" he stopped as his eyes wandered up her torso. "Ah. Yes. It is a little… low. You needn't worry however. The only person who will see you in this is me, and we shall soon be fast asleep."

She sat opposite of the Captain, on his left side, facing away from the harpsichord.

"Speaking of which sir." She addressed him politely. "Where am I to sleep?"

He looked at her in a manner that would give someone who saw it the impression that Clarissa had sprouted a second head.

"In my bed, of course." He said, quite matter-of-factly.

"B-but!" Clarissa began moving away before Hook caught her wrist with his good hand.

"But what?" He almost snarled. He was losing his patience with this girl who kept questioning his motivations and asking him to explain his every thought. "I can't send you to the crew's quarters, and I won't sleep there either."

Clarissa squirmed to get out of his grasp. "I could-"

"You could what?" He cut her off. "Sleep on the floor? I think not. It is less comfortable than you think and I couldn't sleep knowing you would be rolling around with the swaying of the boat." He didn't realize how tight his grip was becoming when he nearly shouted, "What is the problem? I am not going to hurt you!"

He had just noticed the tears forming in her eyes and had begun to apologize when Smee came bustling in with the new bedding.

"Sorry about the wait." He said cheerily. "I had to dig through quite a bit of stuff to find these."

He hadn't noticed the awkward situation he had walked in on.

"It is fine Mr. Smee" Hook said distractedly. "Please set up the bed before you go."

Hook began idly picking out a melody on the piano and barely noticed when Smee left.

He had just opened his mouth to apologize when Clarissa started talking.

"I am sorry Captain. I didn't mean that I thought you would do anything to me; I just didn't want to inconvenience you. You are right though, this option makes the most sense. I don't think I would be able to sleep knowing I had displaced you from your own bed and you are quite the gentleman for feeling the way you do."

Though she was distressed when he had a vice like grip on her wrist, she was inwardly relieved to see the pained and desperate look on his face when he said he would never hurt her. She had been concerned before, but now she believed him with all of her heart.

Hook stared at her in disbelief. 'My God she is a saint.' He thought before leaning forward and placing a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"Go lie down and try to get some rest. I think I will play for a bit if you do not mind."

Clarissa stood and walked to the bed. She did not miss the glint of sadness in Hook's eyes as he saw the light bruise forming on her thin wrist. She was sure that he was simply not use to dealing with anyone less delicate than a pirate.

With a tiny sigh of contentedness and relief, she laid her head on the fresh pillow and drifted quickly to sleep while strains of Nocturne No.2 Op. 9 drifted over her.

**A.N.**

**:D**

**I know, I am a terrible person for not updating sooner. Work has been a little hectic since the promotion and I recently had a mini bout with depression over the fact that I have a degree, but no idea what to do with it, I am stuck in a dead end job, and was apparently doused with some form of man repellant T.T**

**I hope you enjoy this oddish chapter and stick around for more. As always, I promise I will not abandon this story!**

**P.S. the shirt in question in inspired by the one he wears early on in the 2003 version of Peter Pan. Near the beginning soon after Peter and the gang return to Neverland.**


	6. Sleep?

It wasn't until Hook was sure the girl was sleeping that he shirked his boots, shirt, and harness and joined her in bed.

Compared to the crew's beds, Hook's was quite large, but it was still not made for two people.

Fortunately for him, she had picked the side closest to the wall and didn't move much in her sleep.

He gently eased under the sheets and tried not to wake her.

When he moved the blankets he couldn't help but notice that the shirt she had borrowed was starting to ride up a bit. Not to an indecent level, yet, but for a lonely pirate, it was more than enough to let him know he was in for a long and uncomfortable night.

With a frustrated sigh, he reached out and gingerly tugged the hem to a safer length.

He was almost thrilled when he remembered the plunging neckline on said shirt when he yanked the covers up to their necks and focused on a fascinating knothole in the ceiling he had somehow never noticed before.

The sudden movement caused Clarissa to wake up, just for a moment.

She started a bit when she realized there was someone in her bed, but once she remembered where she was, she rested her head on his arm and fell back to sleep in an instant.

"So trusting", Hook murmured. He rolled on his side and reached out to stroke her face.

He stopped short when he caught sight of the scarred stump at the end of his arm.

Hook quickly rolled onto his back and was lost in thought.

Could the sweet, innocent thing that was currently curled into his chest ever see past his rough exterior? His missing limb? His title of pirate?

He sighed and felt torn.

On one hand, he gave a small snort at the use of that figure of speech before continuing his train of thought, he thought himself a fool for even considering a future with this girl. He knew nothing about her.

On the other… hand…, he rolled his eyes at himself, she was physically attractive, sweet, and not so subservient that she was boring, but not so headstrong that he would always be fighting with her.

He decided to screw thinking for the night and just enjoy the sensations the universe was allowing him.

Clarissa's smooth, unscarred and clean skin under his good hand.

Her soft, sweet-smelling hair tickling his nose.

Everything was perfect. He shut out all thoughts of the coming dawn and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Nothing, not even the perfect moment could stop the passage of time.

The sun rose as always and invaded the cabin through the large bay of windows, forcing a rather unwilling captain to wake up.

He looked over and confirmed that his bed companion was indeed real and had not been a part of some bizarre dream.

He tried to slip out of bed without waking her, but realized it wasn't going to be so easy when he felt a pair of slim hands wrap around his arm.

"mmmmph…"

Hook smiled at Clarissa and quietly said, "What was that love? I didn't quite catch it."

She picked her head up off of the pillow, though her face was obscured by her hair and created an amusing sight.

"Morning already?" she questioned as she released Hook's arm to clear her hair from her face.

"It is." He answered briefly, chuckling at the obviously non-morning person snuggling back into the covers.

"You sleep a little longer", he offered. "I will have the crew start looking through the cargo for an appropriate dress and send Mr. Smee in later with some food."

The covers moved in what Hook decided to take as a nodding motion, so he set about dressing for the day.

**Author's notes:**

**I am so sorry for my extended absence, if I had known I would be gone so long, I certainly would have given warning.**

**I am still having fun with this and I can only hope you are enjoying it as well.**

**Thank you to my reviewers! You really make it worth it to continue writing this :D**


	7. Seas of Fabric

"HOW HARD IS IT TO FIND A SINGLE BLASTED CHEST?!"

Hook bellowed to the crew in the ship's hold.

He rubbed his temples with his good hand. 'At this rate she'll be scampering around nak-'

His train of thought was cut short when one of the crew called out, "Found it Cap'n!"

He had the men quietly carry it into his quarters before sending them away so he could rummage through it in peace.

There was a fine selection of dresses and corsets made from many materials and patterns.

Rich emerald greens, sky blues, and blood reds spilled out of the wood and metal container.

Hook may not have been a member of high society, or aware of the latest fashions, but he knew what he liked and he set about picking the first dress he was going to have Clarissa wear.

It was the striking blue-green of the sea, with white lace and pearl detailing. The colors were reminiscent of a mermaid from a child's picture book.

Clarissa was still buried in the covers. Hook was unsure if she was still asleep, or just unwilling to leave the warmth and protection of the bed.

"Sweetness?" he called out softly.

Nothing.

"Clarissa." He said a bit more firmly.

Finally, recognition.

The sleepy bundle that was Clarissa sat up and peered out of her hair and the blankets at the captain.

"I found the dresses I mentioned last night." He explained, gesturing at the chest at his feet. "I'd prefer if you'd wear this one today" pointing to the dress he'd set on top.

Still a little shy about her nightdress, Clarissa nervously made her way across the cabin to where Captain Hook stood with the chest.

He smiled at the look of awe on her face as she ran her hands over the luxurious fabric, but turned to leave before she could see his expression.

"I'll send in Mr. Smee after a few minutes to help lace you up, so dress quickly." He said as he was closing the door.

Hook stood at the helm, deep in thought.

What was he going to do with her?

Why was he keeping her on board?

What were these feelings that made him loose his concentration and focus?

He did live in Neverland after all, and someone experiencing "love at first sight" was not the most absurd thing that had ever happened on the island.

But it wasn't love.

It was… interest.

He was keenly interested in the girl.

'Yes', he mused. 'That is all. I am simply curious as to how she came to be in this godforsaken world of fantasy.'

Glossing right over the funny feeling in his chest when he woke up to find her snuggled into his chest, her arms wrapped around his.

'She must have just tossed and turned in the night…'

"She'd never have a similar interest in me" he muttered grimly.

Having decided this, he subconsciously began putting up barriers around his heart.

He barely registered the sound of the cabin door opening and hardly responded to the feather-light touch on his shoulder.

"Captain?" Clarissa questioned.

He glanced to his side and acknowledged her.

The dress fit very nicely, and the color was stunning, but he felt little joy at the sight.

He certainly was not about to get his heart broken by letting himself be vulnerable.


	8. Swirling Emotions

Clarissa had been aboard the Jolly Roger for months now.

She had gone through scores of ornate dresses, familiarized herself with the ship and crew, learned various nautical terms, and even had a few lessons on the harpsichord.

The captain, however, was still a mystery.

She had heard stories of adventures he'd had and battles fought between him and various foes, (usually Pan), especially if he'd helped himself to "just one more glass" of rum.

What confused her most was his behavior towards her.

He was warm and friendly some days, but cold and distant on others.

To add to the confusion, she found herself growing fond of him.

Though she knew no one would believe her, she was sure that it was not solely because of the lavish dresses he offered, the protection he provided, and his roguishly handsome looks.

She couldn't explain it. Not even to herself. But she could _feel _it.

She would have had nice things and protection with Eliot, and he had been very nice looking, but that… _something _was missing.

She hoped that it would make sense soon.

'Maybe tomorrow', she mused.

One more day.

One more dinner with the captain.

Maybe something would happen that would make things clear.

8888888

It was another one of Neverland's ridiculous holidays.

Hook wouldn't have even remembered it but for the fact that the crew was giddy with excitement.

"Ye have t' have a feast Cap'n!" They insisted. "It be tradition!"

There were no other ships on the Neversea. No one to plunder or terrorize. Both the sea and the sky were calm, and Hook supposed that Pan must be in a good mood. Wherever the brat was.

'Everyone else must be preoccupied with the day's celebrations.' He pondered and rolled his eyes as he acquiesced.

A hearty "HUZZAH" rang through the ship and the crew got straight to work preparing the ship for the night's festivities.

While he outwardly sighed and gave off a general air of aloofness, Hook was secretly pleased.

As was previously mentioned, there was little else to do and this way the crew was occupied and the ship was being thoroughly cleaned.

All without the threat of violence.

Hook headed to his cabin to let Clarissa know of their plans for the evening.

A feast meant a party and the captain dining with the crew.

8888888

"A party?" Clarissa asked, eyes wide.

"Yes", Hook replied distractedly. He'd decided that at least one person on the ship should be doing something productive, so he was checking the logs and going over their planned course.

"But Captain…" She began.

"But what, Clarissa." He countered. "What about that confuses you?"

He'd put down his papers and returned the quill to it's stand.

She stood silently. Two trains of thought racing through her mind, threatening to crash at any moment.

She had always been told not to fraternize with the crew.

They were always on their best behavior when the Captain was around, but, as she had been warned, one could never be sure what they might do when unattended.

'That means the Captain will be there as well…' she supposed.

She glanced to see the captain still giving her the same hard look before lowering her gaze.

"I am sorry Captain, it is nothing…"

She had thought for a moment that perhaps the Captain wanted her to accompany him as a date, but quickly wrote it off as wishful thinking, especially after his harsh response.

'I just need to accept he isn't interested in me'

8888888

Hook felt a twinge of… something.

Sadness?

Guilt?

He didn't like seeing Clarissa like this, specifically when he was the cause.

It didn't make sense.

He thought he'd put the silly notions of romance out of his head long ago, but he was still bombarded with these _feelings_.

He watched as she slowly made her way over to the harpsichord bench and sat down.

"Pick one of your more extravagant dresses." Hook instructed. "The navy one perhaps."

He chose his next words carefully.

"Even though the ship has become your home over the last few months, you will be attending this party as my guest." He saw a tiny smile creep onto her face before it quickly vanished and was replaced by the same sadness as before. "Understand that the same rules as always apply. Do not stray too far from me."

He watched her a moment longer before returning to the work in front of him.

"Will you play something while I finish these last papers?" He requested.

She slowly began picking out a cheerful melody.

Hook smiled behind his stacks of papers.

She was still learning, but she had natural talent.


End file.
